1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to educational tools, and, more particularly, to a web-based stock market simulation educational tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
A dynamic, interactive, stock market simulation educational tool is disclosed. Participants create companies, research each other's companies, and manage their own portfolio as they perform bank transactions (loans and Certificates of Deposits) and buy and sell shares which influence the price of each company. Teachers also known as instructors and students also known as participants or investors participate in the educational process. The current invention will include an investment option for students that mirrors or indexes the entire market within the overall simulation.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Of interest, however, is U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,455, issued in the name of Colaio in which a simulation based on understanding the electronic trading of fixed-income financial products is provided. It is meant to engage future floor traders in the technology usage of the trading environment, namely the process of matching of by and sell orders from various participants and understanding the “spread” which is a natural process of this system. Knowing this process and the various spreads that occur make the simulation's participants more experienced traders. However, such a disclosure fail to provide an environment where businesses are created and defined through the development of a detailed business plan, and then traders manage a portfolio as they buy/sell ownership of these business and/or utilize banking options to increase their portfolio.
Consequently, there is a need for a virtual web-based game by which participants create companies, research each other's companies, and manage their own portfolio as they perform bank transactions and buy and sell shares which influence the price of each company in an effort to perform an educational process.